Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Methods to Increase the Sensitivity of High Resolution Melting Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotyping in Malaria
10:27

Methods to Increase the Sensitivity of High Resolution Melting Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotyping in Malaria

Published on: November 10, 2015

11.7K

Updating estimates of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria risk in response to changing land use patterns across Southeast

Ruarai J Tobin1, Lucinda E Harrison2, Meg K Tully1

  • 1Infectious Disease Dynamics Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.

Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases
|January 22, 2024
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Plasmodium knowlesi malaria risk is highest in Malaysia and Indonesia, with localized high-risk areas in Southeast Asia. This study maps transmission suitability to guide malaria elimination efforts.

Area of Science:

  • Zoonotic disease epidemiology
  • Spatial ecology of infectious diseases
  • Malaria elimination strategies

Background:

  • Plasmodium knowlesi is a zoonotic parasite causing human malaria, transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes from macaque reservoirs.
  • Geographic risk of P. knowlesi infection varies due to environmental factors, complicating diagnosis, treatment, and elimination planning.
  • Existing P. knowlesi occurrence data are biased by surveillance efforts, necessitating methods that account for environmental factors and detection biases.

Approach:

  • An environmental niche modeling framework was extended and applied, incorporating data up to March 2020.
  • 264 new P. knowlesi records were identified, consolidating with previous data for a total of 524 occurrences.
  • New covariates, including deforestation and urbanization, were added to model P. knowlesi transmission dynamics.

Key Points:

  • The updated model predicts the highest P. knowlesi transmission suitability in Malaysia and Indonesia.
  • Localized areas of high risk were also identified in the Greater Mekong Subregion, The Philippines, and Northeast India.
  • These predictions are crucial for prioritizing P. knowlesi surveillance and sampling.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides a refined map of P. knowlesi relative transmission suitability.
  • Identified high-risk areas are critical for targeted interventions in malaria elimination programs.
  • Addressing P. knowlesi transmission is essential for achieving malaria-free goals in endemic regions.

More Related Videos

Phenotypic Analysis of Rodent Malaria Parasite Asexual and Sexual Blood Stages and Mosquito Stages08:23

Phenotypic Analysis of Rodent Malaria Parasite Asexual and Sexual Blood Stages and Mosquito Stages

Published on: May 30, 2019

11.6K
Detection of Plasmodium Sporozoites in Anopheles Mosquitoes using an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay07:04

Detection of Plasmodium Sporozoites in Anopheles Mosquitoes using an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Published on: September 30, 2021

2.3K

Related Concept Videos

Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

Arboviral Encephalitis

Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...